Habitat loss, neglect and modern agriculture threaten UK grasslands and wildlife dependent on it. This includes over 1500 pollinator insects such as solitary bees, butterflies and beetles. Insects pollinate 75% of crops worldwide; losing them has serious implications for food production and human survival. GWT restores nature in the county, but despite this and national conservation efforts 97% of UK species-rich grassland has been lost since the 1940s and insects continue to decline severely.

We have a strong model that we will expand to create, restore and manage wildlife-rich corridors, creating a patchwork of habitats across our Priority Landscape Areas by undertaking scrub clearance, meadow restoration and woodland edge improvements. We will tackle this holistically, on a landscape scale, working with the county’s communities, landowners and farmers. Over 70% of UK land is farmed; we must work together, leading by example to create a landscape where threatened insects can thrive.